Hay or grain stacker.



No. 686,469. Patented Nav. l2, moi. n. n. MCKEE.

HAY 0R GRAINSTACKER.

(Application -led Jan. 18, 1901.)

(N0 Mdel.)

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UNrTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT DAVIS MCKEE, OF OLDS, CANADA.

HAY OR GRAIN STACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,469, dated November `12, 1901.

Application led January 18, 1901. Serial No. 43,712. [.No model.)

` To all whom, it muy concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT DAvIs MoKnE, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Olds, district of Alberta, Northwest rlerritories,Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay or Grain Stackers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and' exact `description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in hay and grain stackers of that class which employ a rake-like carrier arranged to travel in an inclined path for the purpose of elevating the same upon a rick or stack or into a barn. A

The object of this invention is to provide an improved stacker in which the parts are arranged to insure the rake-like carrier moving to a position wherein its load will be forcibly ejected or discharged Without, however, permitting the said carrier falling forward to an improper position when the draft is suddenly released.

A further object of the invention is to simplify the construction, to render the parts eficient in action, and to mount the operating parts on a suitable base or sled designed to facilitate the transportation of the apparatus from one place to another.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed. e

In the drawings hereto annexed, forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a plan View with parts broken away to show other parts in section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown by Fig. l and representing the rake-like carrier in its partly-raised condition by dotted lines.

The same letters and numerals of reference denote like parts in both figures of the drawings.

D designates the base or sled of'my improved stacker, upon which all of the operating parts are mounted. This base is represented as consisting of parallel runners and transverse bars tied together; but evidently the form of the base may be modified. On

one end of the base is an upright frame w, 'consisting of suitable posts and transverse bars, said frame mounted securely on the base and extending upwardly therefrom for yany suitable height. Said frame is braced by the diagonal struts H, which are fastened vto the base and to the frame, and, furthermore, the frame is braced by inclined trackrails d C, two of which are disposed on each 'side of the stacker. Each pair of rails is inclined, so as to extend between one end of the base and the upper portion of the frame w or the struts H, said rails being arranged parallel with each other. Furthermore, the rails are secured on the inside or opposing faces of the struts H and the posts of the upright frame fw, thus permitting the carrier rolls or wheels to easily ride on the rails practically up to the frame wwithout interference from the struts H. The rails forming the two pairs are disposed in coincident p0- sitions on opposite sides of the stacker-frame and each of the lower rails C terminates in a rounded upper end 10. Adjacent to this upper end is a pocket l1, which is formed by a casting l2, the latter being firmly secured to the upright frame and to the strut- (See Fig. 2.) This castingv is curved on its under side and arched on its top side, so as to form thecomplete pocket into which one of the carrier-rolls may drop when it passes over lthe rounded end 10 of the track-rail C.

A designates the rake-like carrier, which consists of the head-rails 14 l5', the series of `tiues k, and the single. row of fingers t', the

latter secured to one ofthe head-rails and projecting outwardly therefrom at an angle to the plane of the lines. The carrier is provided with the arms j, which are securely fastened to the head-rails and extend inwardly from the carrier and between the two pairs of track-rails d C. Said arms are provided at their innermost ends with an axle 19, having rolls or wheels e arrangedto ride on the lower track-rails C. Another axle 2l is supported on the arms of the carrier, and it is equipped with the rolls f, disposed in position to ride upon the upper track-rails d, all as clearly shown by the drawings.

a designates pulleys mounted ou the carrier between the head-rails thereon, said pulleys beingprotected by the tines k from being obstructed by the hay or straw which it is desired to elevate.

The upright frame is provided with the inclined pulley-blocks 24, on which are mounted the pulleys a, and at the lower portion of this frame or upon the base D is secured a large pulley 0,' and a smaller pulley a, the last-named pulleys being below and in alinement with the pulleys a. The haulage cables B are each fastened at one end of the framework of the apparatus, as at I. From thence the cable extends around one pulley a. on the carrier, thence over one pulley ct", and thence under the large pulley a', where it meets the other cable and is united therewith at 30 to form a means for the attachment of the draft-animal.

In the operation of the stacker the carrier is lowered to the position shown in the drawings by full lines. The load is deposited on the carrier by any suitable means and a draftanimal is hitched at 30 to the cables. At this time the animal is started and pulls on the cables, so that the carrier will be drawn up the inclined track afforded by the rails on the stacker. The rolls e f travel on the rails C d to sustain the carrier in a proper position and enable it to travel freely in an upward direction. As the carrier is elevated it gradually assumes an upright posi-- tion, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, until on the continued movement its rolls e travel over the rounded upper end 10 of the rails C and drop into the pocket ll, whereby the carrier is given a sudden pitching movement in a forward direction, which forcibly @jects the load from the apparatus and upon the hay-rick or grain-stack. By arching the top of each casting l2, which forms a pocket ll, the carrier is prevented from pitching forward when thhe draft is suddenly slackened on the haulage-cables, thus preventing disarrangement of the parts. After the load shall have been elevated and discharged the strain on the cables is released and the carrier A is free to descend by gravity to the loading position.

By arranging the pulleys a on the carrier at a point in front of the wheels e andf the carrier can be more readily elevated, especially when it has reached a position part way up the incline, with the rollers @about toenter the curved portion of the runway. This is due to the fact that at this point there is a tendency of a pivotal movement with the wheels f as a pivot, and thereby permitting the wheels e to more readily change their course in opposition to the weight of the front portion of the carrier and its load of hay or grain. l/Vere the pulleys a and f arranged on the same axle the fulcrum-point would be the wheels e, necessitating the application of a maximum of power when changing the direction in which the wheels e are moving.

Changes within the scope of the appended claims may be made in the form and proportion of some of the parts, while their essential features are retained and the spirit of the invention is embodied. Hence I do not desire to be limited to the precise form of all the parts as shown, reserving the right to vary therefrom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is l. A stacking apparatus of the class described comprising asuitable framework having inclined track-rails, castings adjacent to said rails and forming pockets in continuation of the lower rails, a carrier, an elevating mechanism, and suitable wheels journaled on the carrier in different planes and arranged to ride upon the upper and lower track-rails, respectively, said wheels being located intermediate the connection of the elevating mechanism with the carrier and the rear end of the carrier, substantially as described.

2. A stacking apparatus of the class describedvcomprising a base having an upright frame, parallel track-rails disposed in pairs on opposite sides of the base and the frame, castings having arched upper sides and united to the respective rails in positions to form pockets in continuation of the lower rails, a carrier having rollers or wheels disposed in dierent planes and arranged to ride respectively upon the rails, pulleys located on the carrier in front ot' said wheels, suitable pulleys on the framework, and cables reeved through the said pulleys and adapted to raise the carrier, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT DAVIS MCKEE.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM M. CRAIG, ROBERT W. LYoNs.

IOO 

